Friday, August 15

Construction

Agriculture and industrialization let the Earth support far more of us in any given space than she would have previously tolerated. With our amazing tools, we've lowered the death rate to as little as 7 per 100,000 in some areas. The population grows exponentially. To a large extent, we've beaten death.

We've also beaten natural selection and evolution. Or, at least until we reach the next limit. Until we get to that plateau where the Earth simply won't support us without that next great leap in technology. If it turns out to be a technological leap at all.

Failing that, we may be reminded that evolution only occurs when vast numbers of creatures are born and quickly die in an environment that can't sustain them. It takes death and destruction to birth or build anything better. It's going to take an apocalypse. This one won't be so little.